Do you want the start menu in Windows 8?

[+Warwagon MVC]

So like I said we should be judging how technology advances by how old people use it?

Maybe we should drop the speed limits all around the world to like 20 because you've never seen an old person drive have you?

You don't need to use the charms bar to use windows 8. If you need to search, bring up the start menu and start typing.

Why is Microsoft hiding these menu's that were not hidden in all previous versions of windows? What is the point?

[Mr. Gibs]

Why is Microsoft hiding these menu's that were not hidden in all previous versions of windows. What is the point of hiding them?

What menus? Like I said if you're talking about Metro apps then yes the menus are hidden, but metro apps didn't exist on windows 7.

If you use the desktop, everything looks largely and acts largely the same like it did on Windows 7. Apart from the all programs button which I agree needs to be put in a better place.

[+Warwagon MVC]

What menus?

Like I dunno, the start button?!? I know they got rid of the start menu, but if you are going to keep the button there why in gods name must they hide it? I just don't understand.

[Mr. Gibs]

Like I dunno, the start button?!?

Well I think having the start button is stupid because it takes up space but I will say MS needs to have explained that a little bit more in that stupid first boot video (where all they talk about is the charms bar).

[Noir Angel]

Judging technology by old people alone? no. Judging it by general public reaction? a lot fairer. I volunteer in a computing charity called Affordable Computer Services. Members of the public and volunteers that have had a single positive thing to say about Windows 8? 0...

[Alera]

Well I think having the start button is stupid because it takes up space but I will say MS needs to have explained that a little bit more in that stupid first boot video (where all they talk about is the charms bar).

Seriously? Seriously? The Start Menu takes up space... how about taking up the whole screen like Start Screen does? :p I don't really care if they bring the start menu back or not, there will always be third party options available to replace the functionality but the general lack of understanding of others in this thread amazes me, just because you don't want something doesn't mean it shouldn't be there for others. Why not have both of them, with the option to turn one or the other off. A very simple fix to what is to me, a disjointed UI.

- Alera

[Mr. Gibs]

Members of the public and volunteers that have had a single positive thing to say about Windows 8? 0...

People hated Vista too, but then loved Windows 7. They're pretty much identical OSes with a couple of under the hood changes and a slightly different skin.

People hated XP when it released, but now they love it.

People hated ME (and yes it really wasn't a great OS) but it laid the groundwork for a lot of the changes that came in XP.

For the most part people have always hated new changes to Windows, Windows 8 is no exception to that.

Seriously? Seriously? The Start Menu takes up space... how about taking up the whole screen like Start Screen does?

The start button...not the menu.

You can use the windows key and the same spot on Windows 7 to access the menu.

just because you don't want something doesn't mean it shouldn't be there for others. Why not have both of them, with the option to turn one or the other off. A very simple fix to what is to me, a disjointed UI.

What's the point in making a change if you're just going to let people use the old version?

When MS leaves in tons of legacy code, people complain about how bloated Windows is becoming and how MS should get rid of all legacy code and re-write Windows. When MS adds a new thing and removes legacy code, people complain about how the legacy code should have been left in.

[+Warwagon MVC]

The start button...not the menu.

So you are having a problem with a little square in the bottom left of the screen taking up space but you are ok with your ENTIRE screen getting covered up when you hit the windows key?

[bandit_liberty_rumble]

Windows 8 while using METRO apps will hide menus from you.[...]

Did these people complain when command line was replaced with GUIs?

The GUI made everything (far) more discoverable than the command line, not less.

[mrp04]

So you are having a problem with a little square in the bottom left of the screen taking up space but you are ok with your ENTIRE screen getting covered up when you hit the windows key?

Yeah because that button in the bottom left corner takes up valuable space which is used to show more things on the taskbar in Window 8. The start screen comes up full screen only when I'm using it. It shows a lot more stuff than the start menu did so I can find what I want and get out of it more quickly than the start menu.

It's always fun browsing these topics. It's the same people arguing the same points, it's not going to change anything. The start menu is gone.

[+hedleigh Subscriber²]

Yeah because that button in the bottom left corner takes up valuable space which is used to show more things on the taskbar in Window 8. The start screen comes up full screen only when I'm using it. It shows a lot more stuff than the start menu did so I can find what I want and get out of it more quickly than the start menu.

It's always fun browsing these topics. It's the same people arguing the same points, it's not going to change anything. The start menu is gone.

Yes we know, hence this topic. If the haters of the start menu can't understand this, then.........

It's also the reason I have no need or desire to upgrade to 8. Something that apparently the start screen lovers can't see.

[mrp04]

Yes we know, hence this topic. If the haters of the start menu can't understand this, then.........

It's also the reason I have no need or desire to upgrade to 8. Something that apparently the start screen lovers can't see.

Oh I understand that you don't want to. It just doesn't really affect anyone else, though, does it? Microsoft isn't bringing it back. Everyone else will either get used to it or use a 3rd party program to get a re-creation of the start menu. These threads are just so pointless they're funny.

[srbeen]

I liked the irony of clicking start to stop the system.

[+Warwagon MVC]

I liked the irony of clicking start to stop the system.

It hasn't said start since XP. Unless you are running with the Classic theme.

[+Raze Subscriber²]

It hasn't said start since XP. Unless you are running with the Classic theme.

But people still call it "start".

No, I don't miss the start menu at all, learned and adapted to the changes in Windows 8 just like I have with every other version. I do agree though, Microsoft could have allowed users to choose whether to use the start screen or boot to desktop/start menu.

[+hedleigh Subscriber²]

Oh I understand that you don't want to. It just doesn't really affect anyone else, though, does it? Microsoft isn't bringing it back. Everyone else will either get used to it or use a 3rd party program to get a re-creation of the start menu. These threads are just so pointless they're funny.

I'm sorry that you feel this way, why are you even on a forum where these posts are made then? The whole reason forums exist is to allow people to voice their opinions.

What's more, not one of the naysayers has been able to articulate 1 reason as to why it would affect them in a bad way if the choice was there.

Makes me wonder what does Microsoft et al have to remove before you become upset with the direction they are heading in.

I think that you could probably find legacy code somewhere in 8 that hasn't been relevant to windows for years. Doesn't stop the OS from working.

As for the argument that point and click is dead, show me one single desktop user that doesn't use a mouse and I'll show you a user that doesn't even need a desktop computer to begin with.

[Mr. Gibs]

So you are having a problem with a little square in the bottom left of the screen taking up space but you are ok with your ENTIRE screen getting covered up when you hit the windows key?

Yes because you know while the start menu is open you can be doing so much work in the background too right? I mean I can type out a report on word while browsing through the start menu at the same time! Oh wait no I can't.

Either way you're going to stop doing w/e you're doing just to click through the start menu.

I've mentioned this before, don't like the start screen go install one of the start menu apps, some are free. Nobody is stopping you.

[sanctified Veteran]

The other day I saw a brand new Toshiba Satellite ultrabook with a quite nice start menu replacement. Anyone have any info on that?

[+Warwagon MVC]

Yes because you know while the start menu is open you can be doing so much work in the background too right? I mean I can type out a report on word while browsing through the start menu at the same time! Oh wait no I can't.

Either way you're going to stop doing w/e you're doing just to click through the start menu.

Lets say I have a Trillian Chat box open.

With the start screen, when it's up it's covering the chat box. I may hear a ding but have no idea what that person said.

With the start menu when it's up I can see the start menu and the chat box. I can be navigating the start menu as well as reading what the person is saying to me.

[Mr. Gibs]

Lets say I have a Trillian Chat box open.

With the start screen, when it's up it's covering the chat box. I may hear a ding but have no idea what that person said.

With the start menu when it's up I can see the start menu and the chat box. I can be navigating the start menu as well as reading what the person is saying to me.

Actually not really, you're doing one thing at a time unless you're able to read a chat box and the start menu text at the same time. Let's be honest, your start menu is open for all of a couple of seconds. Not really that much of a time waster.

And I'm saying this AGAIN, don't like the start screen? Go get start8 (or any of the other programs that do the same thing). MS isn't stopping you, I'm not stopping you, Bob the builder isn't stopping you. You get all the under the hood changes to windows 8, all the performance improvements, energy saving improvements etc and you can still use your beloved start menu.

It's not like that option is totally blocked from you (yes yes MS should have made a choice for it w/e), and some the apps are free. But yet some of you will continue to hate Windows 8 over something that's fixable (in your eyes) by a free app.

[Dot Matrix]

Like I dunno, the start button?!? I know they got rid of the start menu, but if you are going to keep the button there why in gods name must they hide it? I just don't understand.

It's not hidden. It's on your keyboard and the Charms Bar. In plain view. Hiding from the taskbar also allows for one more pinned app.

Lets say I have a Trillian Chat box open.

With the start screen, when it's up it's covering the chat box. I may hear a ding but have no idea what that person said.

With the start menu when it's up I can see the start menu and the chat box. I can be navigating the start menu as well as reading what the person is saying to me.

Your no more than a mouse click away from the desktop at all times. Win+D also will work. You also claim to run multiple monitors. Invoke Start on another monitor, or move the Trillian window to it. There are multiple solutions to your problem.

[+Warwagon MVC]

It's not hidden. It's on your keyboard and the Charms Bar. In plain view. Hiding from the taskbar also allows for one more pinned app.

Your no more than a mouse click away from the desktop at all times. Win+D also will work. You also claim to run multiple monitors. Invoke Start on another monitor, or move the Trillian window to it. There are multiple solutions to your problem.

Indeed for me it works great and that's how I do it. right monitor for chatting, but I was talking in generalities.

As far as the hidden start button goes, most people have ZERO idea they even have a windows key on the keyboard and the tutorial on first boot doesn't exactly educate them on that. You also say use the charms bar.. isn't that also hidden?

[Dot Matrix]

Indeed for me it works great and that's how I do it. right monitor for chatting, but I was talking in generalities. As far as the hidden start button goes, most people have ZERO idea they even have a windows key on the keyboard and the tutorial on first boot doesn't exactly educate them on that. You also say use the charms bar.. isn't that also hidden?

The Charms Bar is easily discoverable. It is also mentioned on the tutorial.

[thomastmc]

It's like asking if a large dial should be put back on television sets to change the channel. Or, asking if telephones should go back to using rotary dialers.

No, it's dated and irrelevant.

[+Warwagon MVC]

It's like asking if a large dial should be put back on television sets to change the channel. Or, asking if telephones should go back to using rotary dialers.

No, it's dated and irrelevant.

Those are horrible examples. A rotary dialer is not faster than a keypad, but the start menu in some cases is faster than the start screen.